Neo chordae tendinae deployment system

Abstract

Methods and devices for transvascular prosthetic chordae tendinea implantation are disclosed. A catheter is advanced into the left atrium. A helical ventricular anchor subassembly is advanceable through the catheter, having a ventricular suture extending proximally through the catheter. A leaflet anchor subassembly is advanceable through the catheter, having a leaflet suture extending proximally through the catheter. From an atrium side, the leaflet anchor subassembly can be anchored to a superior surface of a mitral valve leaflet and a leaflet anchor can be advanced into the mitral valve leaflet to secure the mitral valve leaflet to the leaflet suture. The ventricular anchor subassembly secures the ventricular anchor to a ventricular wall. The leaflet suture and the ventricle suture may be tensioned and connected by a suture lock to form an artificial chordae.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A neo chordae tendinae deployment system, comprising:
 a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end; 
 a helical ventricular anchor subassembly extendable through the catheter, having a ventricular suture extending proximally through the catheter; and 
 a leaflet anchor deployment subassembly extendable through the catheter, having a radially enlargeable leaflet anchor within the subassembly and having a leaflet suture extending proximally through the catheter. 
 
     
     
       2. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 1 , wherein the radially enlargeable leaflet anchor comprises a pledget. 
     
     
       3. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 2 , wherein the pledget is transformable from an elongate strip configuration to a radially enlarged, axially shortened configuration by proximal retraction of the suture. 
     
     
       4. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 1 , wherein the radially enlargeable leaflet anchor comprises the leaflet suture positioned between two sheets of material. 
     
     
       5. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 1  wherein the radially enlargeable leaflet anchor is carried within a needle having a sharpened end for piercing the leaflet. 
     
     
       6. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 5 , wherein the leaflet anchor deployment subassembly comprises an elongate tube having a distal end and a central lumen, and a leaflet connector on the distal end. 
     
     
       7. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 6 , wherein the leaflet connector comprises a helical leaflet anchor. 
     
     
       8. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 7 , wherein the needle is axially movable with respect to the helical leaflet anchor. 
     
     
       9. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 1  further comprising a suture locking subassembly, advanceable through the catheter and configured to connect the ventricular suture to the leaflet suture. 
     
     
       10. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 1 , wherein the ventricular anchor subassembly comprises an outer tubular sheath having a rotatable anchor driver extending therethrough and a helical ventricular anchor removably carried by the anchor driver. 
     
     
       11. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 10 , further comprising a hub between the anchor driver and the helical ventricular anchor. 
     
     
       12. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 10 , further comprising a suture lock guide on a proximal end of the ventricular anchor. 
     
     
       13. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 12 , wherein the suture lock guide comprises a proximally extending tubular sleeve configured to receive a suture lock. 
     
     
       14. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 13 , further comprising a radiopaque marker carried by the suture lock guide. 
     
     
       15. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 10 , further comprising a core wire extending axially through the helical anchor. 
     
     
       16. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 15 , further comprising a tissue depth indicator carried by the core wire. 
     
     
       17. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 16 , further comprising a spring to bias the depth indicator in the distal direction. 
     
     
       18. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 1 , wherein the catheter is dimensioned to simultaneously receive the leaflet anchor deployment subassembly and the ventricular suture therethrough. 
     
     
       19. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 18 , further comprising a suture lock delivery subassembly. 
     
     
       20. The neo chordae tendinae deployment system as in  claim 19 , wherein the suture lock delivery subassembly is configured to advance a suture lock simultaneously along the leaflet suture and the ventricular suture.